A little known title by a classic author, Aqua Knight by Yukito Kishiro is a three volume manga published for America in 2001. Vastly different from his previous work of Battle Angel Alita, Aqua Knight is a quirky science fiction story that delivers laughter and intrigue with the art style many who love the Battle Angel Alita series are familiar with.

The main story is about Aqua Knight Ruliya of Pearla, who washes up on a small island at the World’s Edge. Her beauty and strength inspires young Ashika, an island native, to follow in her footsteps. But this plan goes awry when a scientist named Ruliya comes to the island and steals an orb of immense power for reasons that while very selfish, are not all that evil. This it is Ruliya’s duty for the rest of the series to rescue not only the orb, but young Ashika who was taken prisoner as well.

As light fair, Aqua Knight certainly does a good job of being entertaining without being bogged down in minute detail and sorrow. Unlike Yukito Kishiro’s other work, this is not at all gritty or depressing. Ruliya has an upbeat attitude and is confident over everything she faces, overcoming obstacles that should have bothered others. Amusing, and laugh aloud funny at times, the story is well written and just the right length for three volumes. Any longer and it would have been stretched thing for what it is.

Fantasy and science fiction combine with a smooth syncing of genres that leaves you believing that anything could happen on a world where knights ride orca whales as steeds and villains fly around in airships. I am a fan of lighter fair for manga every once and a while, everything current is always trying to be so edgy and gritty, and thus I really enjoyed reading this. The art is impeccable, as always, and even the few darker scenes are beautifully presented.

Yukito Kishiro does a wonderful job in bringing us a new series to love. While it may not have seventeen volumes to collect like other stories out there, Aqua Knight does something that those other series cannot manage to do. Bring us an interesting, well told story in a small amount of space.